Steam-turbine.



PATENTED OCT. 24, 1905.

P. FILTEAU.

STEAM TURBINE.

APPLICATION FILED FEB.25,1905.

2 SHEETSSHEET 2.

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WITNESSES ANDREW. a. annuvl cu, rnovo-Lnnuumvuzns. wAsumuwu. a c

UNITED STATES. PATENT OFFICE.

PETER FILTEAU, OF MONTREAL, CANADA, ASSIGNOR OF THREE-FOURTHS TO VICTOR FILTEAU, OF MONTREAL, CANADA.

STEAM-TURBINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 24, 1905.

Application filed February 25, 1905. Serial No. M7356.

T0 ail whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, PETER FILTEAU, of the city of Montreal, in the Province of Quebec and Dominion of Canada, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Steam- Turbines, of which the following is a specification.

, My invention relates to improvements in that class of mechanical devices known as steamturbines, and particularly to those of the singlewheel type, in which the steam speeds through the wheel in a sinuous path under constant expansion and maintained velocity.

Every person skilled in the art to which my invention appertains will perceive the advantages of having a motive source of the aboveindicated class, which, while of the greatest simplicity of design and construction, will be composed of the fewest parts, and which will, nevertheless, operate with a high degree of efficiency.

That the most of the total energy of highpressure steam may be transformed in turbines into motive power capable of practical utilization it is essential, since all turbines operate by virtue of the kinetic energy of the steam, that the entire static energy of the steam be transformed into kinetic energy and then that this kinetic energy be imparted to the greatest possible extent in adding to and maintaining the movement of the turbine.

In practice to-daythree general types of turbines are recognized, the first being the De Laval, this employing a single wheel rotating at a high velocity, expanding the steam completely andadiabatically in the nozzles before reaching the wheel, and therefore having none of the working parts under pressure. The second type is the Parsons, having a large number of wheels between each of which and opposite the buckets is an annular ring of vanes serving to deflect the steam from one wheel to the next, and, thirdly, we have the Curtis turbine, which may be said to be of a construction intermediate these two, having first a set of expanding nozzles, then a small series of wheels, then a second set of nozzles with its series of Wheels. Many advantages will result from dispensing with the plurality of wheels which exist in the second and third type of the above-mentioned turbines, and a great improvement may he had by so controlling the expansion and correspondinglyresultant velocity to such an extent that the tremendous initial motion of the steam in the first type will be toned down to a more easilyhandled speed, from which may be derived transmitted power equal to and greater than that obtainable from the high-velocity steam,

because of the far more prolonged application thereof. As heretofore constructed much energy in this type which would otherwise have been transformed into work has been lost because of failure to make proper provision for the gradual expansion of the steam,

and it is a purpose ofmy present invention to,

completely utilize in this way the full expansive power of the steam in turbines of this class.

In the construction within which I embody the hereinafter more particularly described invention the steam enters the nozzles at the initial pressure with its corresponding temperature and at a comparatively low velocity, which, unlike the De Laval construction, does not increase materially before leaving the nozzle. It then impacts against the wheel when travelingunder a relativelylow velocity which in degree lies comparatively within thelimitsof wheel speed, and consequently is substantially all imparted and taken up by the wheel. steam now leaves the wheel-vanes and expands adiabatically into a secondary chamber of predetermined increased capacity, thereby giving the steam a renewed velocity which will approximately approach its original speed in degree, after attaining which it is again directed against the wheel, and, as before, the latter again absorbs this velocity, deflecting the steam into a tertiary chamber, wherein it expands again, and the process repeats as many times as may be desired. A distinction in my turbine over the De Laval construction is to be noted in that when the steam in the latter leaves the nozzle it has completely expanded, its elastic properties have become of no further use, and to all intents and purposes it is merely a mass of rapidly-moving particles which enter the turbine-bucket and give up their kinetic energy to rotate the wheel, whereas in my turbine the steam is gradually expanded step by step, its pressure correspondingly dropping, and its speed is substantially equal through the various phases, and in the present described mechanism is always less than one-tenth of that of the De Laval. The importance of this will be appreciated by realizing that the wheel in the lat- The ter-mentioned type runs at a speed about ten times too great for direct-application work, and consequently has to be reduced by gearingalways a defective expedient.

It can be shown mathematically that the maximum efficiency of a turbine will be attained when the peripheral wheel velocity is merely one-half the speed of the steam, and it is this condition that I desire to attain, and with that end in view have devised the present embodiment. An average speed for the steam, as admitted in the De Laval turbine, will approximate four thousand feet per second, and if the maximum efficiency occurs when the peripheral velocity is forty-seven per cent. of the steam velocity this would giveaperipheral speed of'about nineteen hundred feet per second necessary, whereas the highest speed actually attained in such turbines is about thirteen hundred feet per second, and this results in angular velocity ten times too great and hasto be reduced by gearing. From this it will be more easily understood how I have increased my turbine efficiency, since, in the first place, I do not need the objectionable gearing, and, in the second place, I am able to adjust and maintain my steam to wheel-velocity ratio at the desirable forty-seven-percent. figure without running the wheel at more than the speed usually necessary in commercial work. The conversion of the steam velocity to the wheel-speed is accordingly rendered very complete, since I substantially compel the steam to travel for a prolonged period of time at such a velocity rate as will most effectively be absorbed by the moving wheel, which rate depends upon the proportions of the parts of the steam-supplying plates.

A further feature of my invention resides in the system of controlling the passage of the steam through the ports, which are of progressively-increasing capacity. That the turbine-wheel may act at its best efficiency under various loads and steam-pressures it is clear that some means should be provided for varying the flow of the steam through the turbine parts. This I do by means of valves or gates intersecting the nozzles of each way and the provision of my simple mechanism for simultaneously operating all of the valves proportionately to the sizes of the different nozzles. V

A further object of my invention is to formulatea simple means for reversing the direction of the turbine, especially for use in cases in which the reverse movement will generally be used for a lesser part of the time than the straight-ahead movement. This I accomplish by providing a subsidiary series of vanes on the wheel and corresponding steam courses, operating like the main course, but reversely positioned and provided, as the former, with gates for partially or completely closing the steam from passing therethrough.

Further objects and advantages of my invention will appear upon reference to the following description and claims when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which like characters of reference denote correspondingparts throughoutallthefigures, of which Figure 1 is an end view of one of the side plates, showing the steam-ports and illustrating by arrows the flow of the steam therethrough. Fig. 2 illustrates the vane-wheel as adapted for conjoint action with the aforesaid plate. Fig. 8 illustrates an end view of the plate for the other side of the vane-wheel. Fig. 4 is a development taken along line 4 in Figs. 1 and 3, showing the relative arrangement and proportion of the steamways. Fig.

5 is a vertical section along line 5 5 of Fig. 6. Fig. 6 is an end viewof the assembled machine.

Referring to the drawings now more particularly by reference characters, it will be seen that the turbine comprises three main parts-the wheel per se, the two inclosing side plates for controlling the flow of the steam through the vane-wheel and the gate, and means for regulating the passage of the steam through the ways.

The vane-wheel consists of a simple solid wheel upon the periphery of which are mounted circumferential series of small steambuckets, as will be readily understood. This wheel I have designated by A, and in the construction as shown in the present drawings I have mounted two series of vanes upon the same, the outer, A, being arranged for the usual or direct rotation, and concentrically within this outer series I have located the subsidiary vane-ring A, in which the buckets are turned in a direction reverse to this of the outer ring, the purpose being to enable the wheel to rotate either in one or the other direction, according to the particular series to which the steam is admitted. It is obvious that in the usual size of a turbine the direct or straight-ahead rotation will be the predominating one, and consequently I have arranged the vanes of the outer series so that the steam may be applied to them for insuring such rotation, since it is highly desirable that the speed of the buckets be as high as is consistent with the principles of construction.

The function of the end plates will be more readily understood by referring to, Figs. 1, 3, L, and 5, upon doing which it will be clear that such end plates have two concentricallyarranged series of ports so located as to be in working position when assembled with the corresponding vane series on the wheel. These end plates I have lettered as B and B, respectively. The steam in the straight-ahead movement of the wheel enters the plate B through a small openingG and at once impinges against the vanes traveling by said opening. These vanes, as will be understood by a reference to ICC Fig. 4, are crescent-shaped, and spent steam is expelled backwardly therefrom, entering chamber 1 through the adjacent opening, as illustrated in Figs. 1 and 4, and expands somewhat therein, thus regaining its lost velocity, which is then directed'by the egress-nozzle 2 against the vanes of the wheel, to which it imparts its velocity, and is then deflected into expansion-chamber 8 in the plate on the opposite side of the wheel. Therein it expands and once more regains its lost velocity, passing from the nozzle 4 against the vane-ring, thence through the wheel into the expansion chamber 5 on the plate B, then through the nozzle 6 of the same into the wheel, through same, and thence successively through succeedlng nozzles and chambers 7 8 9 10 111213 14 15 1617 18 19 20 and finally emerging from the exhaust 21. In order that this flow of steam may be properly expedited, I also arrange deflecting-vanes D throughout the various chamber-ports, in-

creasing such plates in accordance with the successively-increasing size of the expansionchambers. The function of these plates is to provide against the steam unnecessarily eddying and whirling within the expansion-chambers by directing the flow of the same directly into the nozzle-entrance.

As will be apparent, some provision should be made for regulating the flow of the steam through the turbine in accordance with the work performed by the turbines in the initial pressure of the steam, and to this end I provide a series of cut-ofi gates or valves E,which are identical except in size. These gates are designed to reciprocate in front of the nozzles so as to vary the size of the communication of the latter with the expansion-chambers. The

nozzle for each chamberis preferably subdivided by plates, as shown by F in Fig. 4:, into a plurality of steam courses, the number of which will of course vary in accordance with the size of the expansion-chamber. As will be readily perceived, the object of such subdivision is to insure that the steam ejected against the nozzle emerges in a solid and effective stream, and it will be clear that one or all of such subdivisions will be brought into play, according to the extent of the gateopening.

Since each expansion-chamber is ofsuccessively greater capacity than the preceding one, it becomes necessary to move all of the gates simultaneously, but at different rates,

and to accomplish this I provide a pair of cam-rings G for controlling the valves in the direct-rotation chamber and a like pair H for operating the reverse-gates, as will be seen from Fig. 5. .On the periphery of these rings are a number of cams K, set at different angles, so that the gate movements may be controlled as desired. The operation of this will be sufficiently understood, so-that it is not,

necessary to further describe same.

On account of the leakage of the steam from i ing movement of the others.

the outer series to the inner series during a direct rotation it is advisable to close the gates of the latter altogether, and in case it is not necessary that the turbine be reversible it would be advisable to dispense with the reverse-vanes altogether; The cam-rings are connected together in pairs, so that a movement of the one will produce a correspond- This insures a proper simultaneous opening of all of the valves asmay be necessary.

It will thus be seen that I have produced a turbine having manifold advantages, of which the first points, perhaps, reside in its simplicity of construction and the small number of working parts, always a desideratum, there being but one wheel and no gears. It is but the labor of a short time to take the Working parts out, and the replacement of any bearings can be done in ten minutes without any difliculty whatever. Another point of advantage is the low speed at which this turbine is designed to operate, rendering rapid adjustment and extremely fine machine-work unnecessary. Again, it is to be observed that a minimum of space is occupied, even less than in the heretofore known types of turbines, and consequently much expense in foundation and transportation is eliminated.

Having thus described my invention so that the same can be readily understood and put into practice by those skilled in the arts to which it appertains, what I desire to claim and secure by Letters Patent is- 1. In a turbine, a wheel carrying concentric and reverse vane-rings, steam-applying means inclo'sing said wheel, said means comprising concentrically-disposed steam-courses each chamber of which is of successively-augmented capacity and arranged whereby the steam in either course flows under constant expansion alternately through the wheel and each chamber in turn and cut-01f gates for simultaneously closing at will the individual courses of either or both series.

2. In a monowheel turbine-engine, a series of steam-nozzles of progressively-increased capacity and gates for varying the size thereof said nozzles terminating each opposite the vanes of the wheel.

3. In a turbineengine, a circumferentially-extending series of steam-nozzles each of progressively-increased capacity and variable cut-ofi means therefor.

4. In a turbineengine, concentric series of I connecting steam-nozzles of progressively augmented capacity, cut-off valves for each nozzle and means for simultaneously operating said valves. 1

5. In a monowheel turbine-engine,a vanewheel opening upon which are concentric and reverse steamway series each of progressively-increasing capacity and means associated with each way for varying the egress of the steam therefrom.

6. In a turbine, a vane-wheel, steam-ap plying means inclosing said wheel, said means comprising steam-courses each of successively-augmented capacity and arranged whereby the steam flows under constant expansion alternately through the wheel and each course in turn and means for simultaneously adjusting the flow of steam from each of said courses.

7. In a reversing turbine, a wheel carrying concentric and reverse vane-rings, steam-applying means inclosing said wheel, said means comprising concentricallydisposed steam-courses each chamber of which is of successively-augmented capacity and arranged whereby the steam in either course flows under constant expansion alternately through the wheel and each chamber in turn, and gate means for independently varying the steam-admission to either of said series.

8. In a reversing turbine, a wheel carrying two vane series concentrically extending, steam-supplying disks oppositely iacin said wheel, said disks having concentricalI -arranged steam-port series corresponding to said vane series, said steam-port series con sisting of ways each of which is of successively greater capacity and arranged whereby the steam flows sinuously and alternately through the wheel and each way in turn and simultaneously-operable gates for cutting off the passage of the steam through each way of either series at will.

9. In a turbine, a vane-wheel, a steam-directing plate opposite each face of said wheel, each of said plates having an annular series of steam-courses each of successively greater size and arranged whereby the steam flows under constant expansion alternately through the wheel and each course in the opposite late in turn, and cut-off means for controling the egress of steam from said steam- OOllISGS 10. A turbine comprising a vane-wheel and side plates having each a plurality of vaporpassages consisting of an expansionchamber, a plurality of nozzles leading therefrom and adjustable cut-off means for said nozzles.

11. A steam turbine-engine, comprising a circumferential series of vapor-passages having each an expansion-chamber and nozzles of adjustable size leading therefrom.

12. A turbine comprising a vane-wheel a plurality of steam-ports leading therferom, said ports having each an ex ansion-chamber, a plurality of nozzles leading from said chamber back to the vane-wheel and a gate for opening or closing one or more of said nozzles at will.

13. In a steam-turbine oppositely-placed series of steam-courses each of successively greater size, cut-off means for each course for regulating the flow of the steam therethrough and means for simultaneously positioning each cut-off means.

14. In a turbine, a pair of steam-conductors oppositely placed in staggered relation each comprising a plurality of converging chambers of increasing capacity, cut-off gates for each chamber for regulating the flow of the steam therethrough and an annular cam means for simultaneously operating each valve in different degrees.

15. In a turbine, a pair of steam-conductors placed in staggered relation each comprising a plurality of converging chambers of successively-increasing capacity, cut-off gates for each chamber for regulating the flow of the steam therethrough and an annular cam for proportionally and simultaneously varying said gates.

16. In a reversing turbine, two reverselyextending pairs of steam-conductors oppositely placed in staggered relation each comprising converging steam-chambers of successively greater size, cut-off valves for each chamber for regulating the flow of the steam therethrough and independently operable means for each pair of steam-conductors for simultaneously opening said valves.

17. In a monowheel turbine-engine, a se-' ries of steam nozzles of progressively increased capacity said nozzles terminating adjacent the vanes of the wheels, ates for varying the nozzle-o ening thereo and means for simultaneous y operating said gates whereby the flow of the steam against the wheel is proportionately varied along the extent of the vane portion.

18. In a turbine-engine, a circumferentially-extending series of steam-nozzles each of progressively-increased capacity, variable cut-off means therefor, and an annular cam for simultaneously opening said cut-off.

1 9. In a monowheel turbine-engine, a vanewheel leading to which are concentric series of connected steam-nozzles of progressivelyaugmented capacity, cut-off valves for each nozzle and means for simultaneously operating said valves.

20. In a turbine-engine, concentric and reverse steamway series each of progressivelyincreasing capacity, a cut-off valve for varying the egress of the steam therefrom, and a cam-ring for determining the position of each valve.

21. In a turbine, a vane-wheel, steam-applying -means inclosing said wheel, said means comprising steam-courses each of successively-augmented capacity and arranged whereby the steam flows under constant expansion alternately through the wheel and each course in turn and" means for simultaneously adjusting the flow of steam from each of said courses, said means comprising a ring centrally pivoted and bearing a plurality of adjustable cams on its periphery and valve-controlling rods engaging within each cam.

22. In a turbine, a vane-wheel, a steamdirecting plate opposite each face of said wheel,

each of said plates having an annular series of steam-courses each of successively greater size and arranged whereby the steam flows under constant expansion alternately through the wheel and each course in the opposite plate in turn, cut-off valves for controlling the egress of steam from said steam-courses, and cam-rings for simultaneously operating said valves at will.

23. In a reversing turbine, a wheel carry ing concentric and reverse vane-rings, steamapplying means inclosing said wheel, said means comprising concentrically-disposed greater capacity and arranged whereby the steam flows sinuously and alternately through the wheel and each way in turn, and means for independently controlling the steam-flow in either series.

25. In a steam-turbine, a wheel carrying two concentrically-arranged series of vanes which are reversely disposed on each series, side plates therefor whose inner faces have correspondingly-placed series of bridged recesses positioned in staggered position, late to plate, whereby steam may flow t erethrough in a sinuous course, and valve means for each member or recess of each series for controlling the steam-flow therethrough.

26. In a steam-turbine, a wheel, curvilinearly arranged series of vanes mounted thereon, side plates therefor whose inner faces have correspondingly-placed series of bridged recesses in staggered position, plate to plate, whereby steam may flow therethrough in a sinuous course, said recesses havinga converging shape and provided with one or more egress-nozzles and deflecting admittance-vanes designed to direct the steam into the said nozzles.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of two witnesses.

PETER FILTEAU.

Witnesses:

ALBERT NATHEM, VICTOR FILTEAU. 

